Spartan Veterans v Ascot United 2nd X1 Veterans

Report

Strength and Conditioning

Ascot Utd Vet’s 2’s began their pre-season with a hard fought 3-1 win over Spartan Vets from the West London Vets League.  Playing up the slope on the long ‘thatchy’ grass at Strodes College, Egham, Ascot found themselves under early pressure from a decent Spartans side who passed from the back and delivered some decent deep crosses, particularly from their talented left back. Ascot weren’t phased and continued to play the ball out from the back with Jamie and Ed looking assured on the ball and Daz and Martin giving options left and right. Stu and Woody showed early in the middle allowing Ascot to keep possession albeit with most of it in the Ascot half.

Spartan’s pressure paid off after 20 minutes when Ascot fouled just outside the penalty box. The well struck freekick cannoned off the bar then went in off the back of a very unlucky Rich. 1-0 to Spartan’s. Spartan’s could have gone further ahead when a threaded pass put through their forward one-on-one only to be thwarted by the flying legs of Rich as he closed the space down quickly. Abbas and Adam were working hard up and down the flanks and created chances for Jez and Garyth. A knee injury to Jez brought his game to an end on 30 minutes. The hard work up front was continued with Tommo and Carl as Ascot increased their foothold on the game

0-1 HT

The second half saw Ascot playing with the slope and it was Spartan’s who were on the back foot. After 10 minutes, Tommo received the ball on the edge of the box, turned and faced up his marker – he took him to his left, back to his right, back to his left, then back to his right before slotting low to the keepers right. Excellent composure and finish 1-1.

Tommo’s second came after 15 minutes, this time from a well weighted pass from Abbas and first time strike from outside box which went back across the goal and just inside the post. 1-2. Tommo was on fire and nearly bagged a third, this time a 20 yd blistering shot which whistled past the wrong side of the post.

Spartans continued to be a threat from channel balls but these were mopped up by the excellent Jamie, Ed and Daz. Spartans also came close from two point-blank headers down to Rich’s left post which he scrambled out to keep Ascot in the game. With the match still finely poised with 20 mins to go it was a misplaced pass from Spartans keeper which was intercepted by Woody 25 yds out. He took two steps past his marker and fired low and hard past the keeper, 1-3. With time running out for Spartans, Ascot needed to keep the ball… and duly did. A 9-pass move started by Rich to Jamie, Jamie to Rob, Rob to Martin and back to Rob, Rob to Andy G and back to Rob, Rob to Woody, Woody to Stu, Stu to Abbas, then a Spartans tackle and the ball went out for an Ascot throw!

1-3 FT

A good game played in great spirit. Well done all.

Squad: Harrison, Kay, Du Bois, Burgess, Lewis, Abusweder, Flurry, Woodford, Hussain, Myhan, Brant, Burton, England and Tomlinson